1 GENDER & DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE TO PRACTICE STATE INSTITUTE FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT & PANCHAYATI RAJ Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water Department Govt. of Odisha 2 Published by Director STATE INSTITUTE FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT & PANCHAYATI RAJ PR & DW Department, Govt. of Odisha Unit - 8, Gopabandhu Nagar, Bhubaneswar - 751012 Phone : 0674 - 2562645, 2562453 Email : [email protected], [email protected] Website : sirdodisha.nic.in Edited by Manas Ranjan Debata Director, SIRD & PR Coordinated & Compiled by Amita Kumari Patra Asst. Director, SIRD & PR 1st Edition 2018 © : Director, SIRD & PR Printed at PRINTECH OFFSET Bhubaneswar 3 Shri Deoranjan Kumar Singh, IAS Principal Secretary to Govt PR & DW Department Govt of Odisha MESSAGE It gives me immense pleasure to know that SIRD & PR, an apex Training Institute on capacity building and training for elected representatives and functionaries under PR & DW Department, Govt of Odisha is coming up with a publication titled “Gender and Development; Perspective to Practice” on issues encompassing gender equality and women’s empowerment. It is also a matter of academic accomplishment that many authoritative and reputed writers on ‘Gender and Developmental topics’ have contributed to enrich this publication. The publication undoubtedly will broaden the horizon of new age thinking and open the discourse to quite a large number of issues related to the subject. In an effort to further strengthen the women leadership, SIRD&PR has established a “Gender Equity and Child Development Cell” with a commitment to undertake action research for gender knowledge enhancement. This publication is an effort towards presenting the major dimensions of gender empowerment and different strategies as in practice across the country. I am sanguine that the book will certainly help the readers in understanding the larger perspectives of gender equality and would bring positive socio – economic change. I am thankful to the sincere efforts of the contributors as well as the editorial members. I wish SIRD&PR to march towards excellence in carrying forward such endeavours in future. (Deoranjan Kumar Singh) 4 PREFACE Gender equity and social justice are the pre-requisites for good governance. The principle of gender equality is enshrined in the Indian Constitution in its Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties and Directive Principles of State Policy. Discrimination against women has been the universal phenomenon in any society. Gender discrimination has been identified as one of the pervasive forms of institutional deprivation. Social discrimination as well as political exclusion had led to sociological seclusion of the women. Ensuring gender parity has become a major challenge for the modern world. In recent years, the Government has undertaken several initiatives to reduce the vulnerability and secure the entitlements of marginalized groups including women. Government of Odisha has formulated a policy “Odisha State Policy for Girls and Women, 2014” for the empowerment of girls and women and to address all gender issues. Adequate initiative has been taken in social sectors to assimilate them into the mainstream of socio-economic life. Odisha Livelihoods Mission has also contributed in providing sustainable livelihood to the women of the State. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are intrinsically linked to the lives of women and girls. In this context, UN Women and the Govt of Norway through the Royal Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi signed an agreement of cooperation to implement a project entitled “From Opportunities to Capacities: A Multi Sector Approach to Enhancing Gender Responsive 5 Governance.” It aims to strengthen the capacities of governance institutions to provide opportunities created for Gender Equality & Women Empowerment through legislation, policies and programmes. Under this project, UN Women signed an MoU with Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water Deptt, Govt of Odisha and SIRD&PR on 23rd June 2017 along with four other States namely Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana and Rajasthan. SIRD&PR, Bhubaneswar organised a two days National Level Symposium on 27th – 28th June 2018 as a commitment of the project activity on Gender Equality at Grassroots Governance. The major objectives of the National Symposium is to address various thematic areas related to gender in governance. These include:- Understanding Gender Perspective in Grassroots Governance Encouraging Women Leadership Sustainable Livelihoods & Gram Panchayat Water Sanitation, Nutrition and Gram Panchayat Gender Equality & Legal Provisions. Elected PRI representatives of four States, faculties of different SIRDs and administrators of partner States of UN Women, representatives from NIRD&PR, representatives from UN Women, senior officers of Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water Department, Govt. of Odisha and intellectuals from different fields participated in the programme. The Symposium was inaugurated by the Former Secretary, MoPR, Govt of India and Chief Secretary of Kerala, Shri S. M Vijayanand on 27th June 2018. Padmashree Dr. Pratibha Ray, Former Professor and Eminent Writer of Odisha attended the 6 programme as the Chief Speaker. In the valedictory ceremony, Shri Deoranjan Kumar Singh, IAS, Principal Secretary, Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water Department, Govt of Odisha and Smt Nistha Satyam, Deputy Country Representative, UN Women, India attended as the Revered Guests. Gender discrimination is an insuperable challenge to the socio-economic progress. Government has taken laudable initiative in launching various programmes for the welfare and empowerment of women. Several deliberations were made to address the gender inequality during different sessions of the Symposium. The major outcomes of the deliberations are delineated below:- A strong convergence between Panchayati Raj Institutions and Institutions of Poor i.e Federation of Self Help Groups (SHGs) are mutually benefited both for PRIs as well as for the rural women. Gram Sabha can be used as a forum for dissemination of information. Simultaneously, SHG can act as an agency for effective delivery of basic services. There is a need of federating the elected women representatives at appropriate levels for enhancing their collective power. An effective networking of elected women representatives is essential to stimulate their latent qualities and intrinsic potentialities. There should be mandatory Mahila Sabha before Gram Sabha. It will help to mobilize large number of women and provide enough scope to discuss various issues affecting the women. States like Karnataka and Rajasthan have already amended their Panchayat Acts accordingly. 7 Separate resource allocation for planning on gender component is essential. Minimum 30 percent of resource should be earmarked for gender plan. There should be minimum 50 percent attendance of the women in Gram Sabha for quorum. Equal access of men and women to the information, services, infrastructure and resources should be ensured to bring gender equity. Pro gender infrastructures such as Anganwadi Centre with Mamata room and provision for lactating mothers, baby feeding room, separate toilet for girls in schools, separate toilets for women in institutions / offices should be taken up for ensuring dignity of women. A special engendered module of training focusing the problems and needs of elected women representatives should be developed by State Institute for Rural Development or any other training agency. There is a need for capacity building of the male members for change in their mind set and socialization process. To set up a “Help Desk” at SIRD&PR to provide support to elected women representatives. SIRDs should document the inspiring stories of women leaders which can motivate others and also make provision for recognizing outstanding contributions through laurels and financial rewards to the elected women representatives. Community Resource Persons developed under National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) can be engaged as the precursor of change. They will facilitate the women in 8 the rural area to work in a group and become economically self reliant. PRI involvement will increase community understanding of issues of accountability for quality and reliability of health care services in Gram Panchayat. There are so many legal provisions adopted by Government but due to lack of awareness or weak implementation, the marginal and victimized persons are not getting justice. So multi stakeholder approach should be adopted for inculcating awareness. In order to accomplish the cherished objective, an MoU was signed between SIRD&PR, Govt of Odisha, represented by the Director, SIRD&PR, and UN Women, India, represented by Smt Nistha Satyam, Deputy Country Representative in the presence of the Principal Secretary, Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water Department, Govt. of Odisha on 28th June, 2018 for extension of another two years for the collaborative project to promote Gender Responsive Governance. In order to strengthen the policy advocacy mandate relating to women empowerment in rural governance and development, a “Gender Equity & Child Development Cell” has been commissioned in SIRD&PR. The functions of the cell will be continuous training and capacity building of elected women representatives, members of women Self Help Groups and functionaries on the importance and analysis of gender development, empowerment of women, their rights, entitlements and issues of children. Two other Cells viz; “Resource Cell of DAY-NRLM” – a flagship